Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Zurich

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $4,519 in Zurich, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
218

Cost of Living Index in Zurich
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Zurich Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Zurich

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$4,519

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Zurich

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Zurich actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $4,519 in Zurich.

Austin, TX $2,704
Zurich $4,519

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $6,911 in Zurich.

Austin, TX $4,133
Zurich $6,911

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $9,303 in Zurich.

Austin, TX $5,562
Zurich $9,303

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 40% less than in Zurich, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Zurich 237% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$34.88 CHF 28.95

-42.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$146 CHF 121

-41.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$18.34 CHF 15.22

-32.66%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$6.94 CHF 5.76

-21.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.94 CHF 4.93

-35.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$5.27 CHF 4.38

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$9.91 CHF 8.22

-18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$8.48 CHF 7.04

6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.10 CHF 1.74

-46.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.82 CHF 3.17

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.74 CHF 3.11

-13.10%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$8.49 CHF 7.04

-51.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$26.67 CHF 22.14

-50.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$28.17 CHF 23.38

-49.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$60.8 CHF 50.4

-73.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.20 CHF 3.48

4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.68 CHF 2.22

-45.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.39 CHF 2.81

33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.46 CHF 3.70

-6.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.57 CHF 2.13

2.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.22 CHF 1.85

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.51 CHF 2.09

-29.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.25 CHF 1.04

72.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$10.91 CHF 9.06

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$13.90 CHF 11.54

5.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.77 CHF 2.30

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.07 CHF 2.55

13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$5.59 CHF 4.64

-73.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$105 CHF 87.4

-61.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$7.94 CHF 6.59

-66.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$4.64 CHF 3.85

-65.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$89.7 CHF 74.4

-60.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.33 CHF 1.93

-57.51%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K $35.8K

$39.9K CHF 33.1K

-10.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

$39.1K CHF 32.5K

-30.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$219 $219

$275 CHF 228

-20.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.0 $58.0

$36.64 CHF 30.41

58.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$55.5 CHF 46.07

23.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$90.7 CHF 75.3

-36.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$62.1 CHF 51.6

-76.14%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$24.25 CHF 20.13

-41.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,509 $1,509

$3,617 CHF 3,002

-58.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$42.7K CHF 35.5K

-49.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$140 CHF 117

-63.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$58.9 CHF 48.92

-25.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$166 CHF 138

-48.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$251 CHF 208

-58.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$2,960 CHF 2,457

-34.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$2,296 CHF 1,906

-44.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$6,003 CHF 4,982

-38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$4,217 CHF 3,500

-40.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$27.7K CHF 23.0K

-72.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

-80.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$8,005 CHF 6,644

-36.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

2.07

228.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Zurich: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Zurich

$2.3K 51.8% 80.4% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Zurich

$669 15.1% 66.1% $266

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Zurich

$529 11.9% 51.9% $181

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Zurich

$367 8.3% 6.2% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Zurich

$277 6.3% 116% $149

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Zurich

$139 3.1% 61.5% $53

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Zurich

$159 3.6% 179% $102

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $2,960 in Zurich. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zurich pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $146 in Zurich for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $669 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇨🇭 Zurich

🕒 Local time

05:05 5:05 AM

12:05 12:05 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

443,037

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 CHF = 1.2 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.83 CHF (1 CHF = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 0.93 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

CHF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Zurich 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Zurich

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Zurich: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Zurich. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 57% lower in Zurich. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $2,960 in Zurich. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $4,519 in Zurich – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 160% less than in Zurich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Zurich are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Zurich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.